Wheel-clamp.



1. M. WILLIAMS.

WHEEL CLAM P. APPLICATION FILED .\ULY26,1915.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

JAMES MILTON WILLIAMS, OF VALDOSTA, GEORGIA.

WHEEL-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

Application filed July 26, 1915. Serial No. 42,066.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES M. VVILLrAMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Valdosta, in the county of Lowndes and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wheel-Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wheel clamps, the object in view being to produce a clamp which is particularly designed to simultaneously engage the head of a railroad rail and the flange and web or body of a car wheel, for the purpose of holding the car wheel stationary during the operation of inserting a new brass in the journal box or when any other operation or adjustment relating to the journal box and journal becomes necessary. 7

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :-F igure 1 is a perspective View of the complete clamp of this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through a railway rail and a portion of a car wheel, showing the manner of using the clamp. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the extension lip or shim.

The main body 1 of the clamp is substantially C-shaped and has extending across the convex face thereof a cross bar 2 which may be either formed integrally with the member 1 or it may be formed separately there from and fastened thereto in any desired manner.

The member 1 is so formed as to provide a bottom lip 3 adapted to engage the slanting under side of the head 4 of a railway rail and said member 1 is further provided with an overhanging lip 5 which is adapted to engage the inner face of the flange 6 of a car wheel, the member 1 being provided with an additional upstanding lip or extension 7 which is adapted to be pressed firmly intocontact with the web or body 8 of the wheel thereby providing an additional frictional hold on the web of the wheel while the flange 6 is firmly clamped upon the head of the rail.

The cross bar 2 is provided at the opposite extremities thereof with eyes 9 through which are inserted shanks 10 of a pair of hooks 11 which are adapted to be placed over the head of the rail and partially embrace the same. The outer ends of the shanks 10 are threaded and nuts 12 preferably of the thumb type are placed thereon so that the clamp may be gradually adjusted into firm clamping engagement with the rail and wheel in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 2.

After the journal box or journal and brasses have been properly adjusted or any other necessary work performed, the clamp as a whole may be quickly removed by loosening the nuts 12 thereby permitting the shanks 10 to turn within the eyes 9 at the opposite extremities of the cross bar 2.

l/Vhile the outer face 13 of the cross bar may be straight, the inner face 11 thereof is reversely beveled or tapered toward the opposite extremities thereof thus insuring the firm engagement of the clamp with the wheel and rail should the cross bar 2 as a whole flex when excessive pressure is brought to bear thereon by means of the nuts 12.

If desired, and in order to adapt the wheel clamp to wheels and rails of different sizes, the body of the clamp may be provided with a sliding extension lip or shim 15 so that the space between the upper flange engaging lip and the lower rail engaging lip may be decreased. Any suitable holding means such as a loop 16 on the shim may be provided for sustaining said extension lip or shim in place on the clamp.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. A clamp comprising a substantially C- shaped member having a lower lip adapted to bear on the under side of the head of a railway rail, an upper lip adapted to bear against the inner face of the flange of a car wheel, a cross bar projecting on 0pposite sides of the main body of the clamp, rail engaging hooks having their shanks extended through and adapted to turn within said cross bar at opposite sides of the center thereof, and nuts threaded on the shanks of said hooks.

2. A clamp comprising a substantially C- shaped member having a lower lip adapted to bear on the under side of the head of a railway rail, an upper lip adapted to bear against the inner face of the flange of a car wheel, a cross bar projecting on opposite sides 01" the main body of the clamp, rail engaging hooks having their shanks extended through and adapted to turn within said cross bar at opposite sides of the center In testimony whereof I aflix my signature thereof, 1and nuts threaded on th; shanks of in presence of two Witnesses.

said hoo s the C-shaped body 0 the clamp being additionally provided With an up- JAMES MILTON WVILLIAMS' wardly extending lip adapted to be pressed Witnesses:

into contact with the Web or body of the O. T. HILL,

wheel. F. G. YOULEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

